From the Bubbly Rose experience to the Tipsy Woman in the bathroom
Text: Tang Siu Hau
I’ve got to say, alcohol is often a constant in many people’s lives. Happy? We drink. Feeling low? We drink. Getting off work early? We drink. After a long day? That’s exactly when you could use a drink. To my surprise, in the alcohol-related songs of Hong Kong songstresses, we find more hints of independence than cheering ourselves up.
A few of my songs are also related to alcohol - in ‘Mixology’, I described it is easier to ‘mix a mint vodka than exchange an intimate glance with someone’ to describe the socializing dynamic in a bar; in ‘Champagne she-wolves’, I portrayed how a she-wolf who isn’t satisfied with her mundane life would ‘chug down a whole bottle of champagne’. Be it a strong vodka or an elegant champagne in these two moments, both of these two cool, independent ladies enjoy drinking.
For sure, ‘I’m not the only one’. Along with the soft arrangement of guitar and drums, Eman Lam also makes us indulge in her smooth voice in her song 'Tipsy’ - ‘let me smile, open my heart, and lead a great life without you’. In ‘The Rosé Experience’ by Mag Lam, the word wine isn’t mentioned at all, but as she said, the song refers to a sparkling rosé - ‘in face of the challenges I will move forward, in face of the challenges I will stay calm’, a bubbly tune with a light arrangement and bright lyrics.
Be it an experience of a young lady as mentioned above, or a mature strong-spirited divorced woman in ‘A Woman and the Bathroom’ by Kay Tse, you can still ‘hear’ the alcohol. After all, isn’t it amazing to simply ‘have a sip of Gin and flirt with Kim Woo-bin’?
Like Serrini talks about honesty in her song ‘~Twirl with me*’ - ‘Bottoms up we’ll sort it out’. You should feel free to get tipsy when you break up, or go on a rosé journey when you struggle, equally you could claim your freedom with Gin when you get a divorce. Getting tipsy? Getting drunk? No worries! A ‘no need to worry’ philosophy is the best form of freedom we modern ladies have.
To all the she-wolves out there, let’s cheers for our freedom and bravery!
*Recommendation for Canton Pop | 廣東歌推介*